Even though the Browns have essentially mailed in their season by trading their best offensive asset in Trent Richardson, beat writers in Cleveland still have a job to do. And how does one fill that white space with such a putrid Browns offense? Brian Hoyer.

Hoyer—formerly the third-string QB behind Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell—will face the Vikings in his second career start, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com chose that as her story's peg, because what the hell else can be written?

Hoyer, the 19th starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999, knows it's a chance to prove he's a starting NFL quarterback. Browns coach Rob Chudzinski has stressed that he's looking for a spark, and if Hoyer provides it, the full-time job is his. Chudzinski has informed Brandon Weeden that he might not get his job back when healthy — which could be as early as this week.

Hoyer doesn't have the same big gun as Weeden, but it's above average.

Left tackle Joe Thomas acknowledged that working with Hoyer has been an adjustment, but he's still optimistic.

The worst part might be counting Hoyer's time as a backup with the Patriots as a possible advantage, even though he was cut—and Cabot mentions this.

What's more, Hoyer spent three years honing skills behind future Hall of Famer Tom Brady in New England, and learning to play at a Super Bowl-caliber level.